Introducing Calypso Coral and more little bits and pieces of what I have been up to ....

Hello lovelies. Time to introduce the last new Stampin' Up! 2011/2013 In-Colour, Calypso Coral. I have to confess I found this colour the hardest to create with, not because it's not a gorgeous colour, but more because it's not a colour I usually create with. Here's what I came up with.

 

This uses Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Early Espresso and Very I have used the gorgeous First Edition DSP again (you will be seeing me use this a lot this year - I love it!) and Creative Elements stamp set again. I do have other stamp sets that I promise I will start using soon, but I just love this set!

 
One of the things I love about the First Edition DSP is that there is a lot of white space, so it's great to stamp directly onto. In the above picture you can see I have stamped directly onto the background layer, and also some of the flower layers. The butterflies are also stamped directly onto the DSP. Just love that look. The flower in Creative Elements is fabulous for fussy cutting and layering and I have used one of the new 2011/13 InColour DSP polka dot brads for the flower centre. The polka dot is quite subtle and I can see myself using these LOTS!

I am pleased to say I had some responses to my calls for places to donate some used products to and I had a big sort out during the week and came up with this.

 

On Friday I packaged up and posted four boxes of goodies to donate to thevarious causes including disability organisations, children's craft group and some elderly CWA groups of crafters.

 

This made me feel so great to know that these people would enjoy using my surplus craft stock. I find myself much more creative when I have less stamps I have decided!

I've also been doing some scrapbooking tasks. I sorted out a pile of unfiled layouts and worked out what new albums I needed to buy, and what layouts I wanted to work on over the coming months. Even the process of doing this made me remember why I love scrapbooking so much. There were so many great memories in those pages and I felt such an emotional connection to them.  Last night we all sat down and looked through some of the albums which was lots of fun  for the boys. Here are my layouts on the bench before I filed them.

 

In addition to paper layouts, I've been doing some digital layouts this year too. I did this one yesterday for my One Little Word album, where I am focusing on the word Nourish. I decided a while back that following the exact month by month class wasn't working for me, so instead I have been exploring my word, and documenting ways I am working towards putting it into practice more this year. Sort of like a goals journal and with layouts about bits and pieces I have been doing along that theme of my word "Nourish". Works for me!

This layout was about the fabulous 'me time' day I had at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show this year (you can click on the image for a closer look). This digi layout uses a template by Cathy Zieleske and papers by Katie Pertiet.

 

Hope you are having a creative week whichever way you like to create,

Claire xx

 

 

 

Comments

[Jacqui]

I'm sooo pleased that you have been taking time out 'for you'. I've got heaps of unfinished pages not filed (or finished!) and I wasn't game to confess to you!.......so now I feel so much relieved that it's done by the accomplished as well as the novice. (that's you the accomplished and moi the novice!)

[Kathryn Ruddick]

Wow Claire! How busy have you been! Love all the samples with the new In-Colours, and all the layouts you have been sorting. Very thoughtful of you to donate some of your retired goodies - I am sure there will be some very happy recipients there!